Corn Farm Fires Responsible for Haze in Chiang Mai

[Jacob Maslow]

Corn farm fires are responsible for Chiang Mai’s haze, according to the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce. The chamber states that five million rai of fields are being burned and asks businesses to take responsibility for their actions.

The practice of burning corn plantations is performed to clear fields. According to the chamber, the burnings are the primary cause of the region’s severe haze problem each year. The Chamber of Commerce also stated that it would be contacting businesses who purchased corn feed for their animals, urging them to take responsibility for the haze’s health threat.

Severe haze has been a major problem for Chiang Mai recently. Readings were still high on Saturday at 181-194 micrograms. Levels up to 120 micrograms are considered safe. The Mae Sai and Muang districts in Chiang Rai had the highest readings at 218 and 204 micrograms respectively.

Reportedly, thousands of people sought medical treatment for haze-related illnesses each day last week in the Thailand’s Northern provinces. Nearly 3,000 Chiang Mai residents sought treatment daily last week. Somsak Chunharas, the Deputy Health Minister, has instructed the local health office to distribute 200,000 facemasks to residents who are affected by the haze.

Deputy chairman of the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, Wittaya Krongsap, stated that the annual haze problem was not caused by smoke from cross-border wildfires or outdoor burning. Rather, fires at corn farms are 70% of the problem. The burnings took place between February and March.

The chamber revealed that it would be asking farmers to perform field-clearing burns in rotation, rather than all at one time. The chamber will also contact businesses that purchased corn for animal feed and ask them to take responsibility for the problem.

The director of Chiang Mai’s Natural Resource and Environment Office, Jongkhlai Worapongsathon, is urging the relevant agencies to implement new measures to solve the haze problem.

-- 2015-03-24

[ExpatOilWorker]

Where is that picture from?

Surely not Thailand.

[NongKhaiKid]

No harm in asking relevant agencies to implement new measures but since they haven't bothered to implement the old, indeed any measures, don't hold your breath.

Thai officialdom is good at talking, making promises, blaming others etc but don't expect much in the way of actual action.

[canopy]

This is the first time they seem to have put the blame in the right place. I remember the year they blamed the Korean bbq restaurants in Chiang Mai and made them shut down. Or the year they blamed the Burmese for the smoke coming across the border. But they say "...asking farmers to perform field-clearing burns in rotation" and handing out 200000 face masks are extremely disappointing as these do not tackle the problem. Just means hundreds of thousands will be heading to hospitals as usual.

Where is that picture from?

That was my reaction too. The visibility is so constrained this time of year you couldn't see the smoke of that fire at that distance. Guess that's why they had to get a random photo from the net somewhere.

[TheAppletons]

This is the first time they seem to have put the blame in the right place. I remember the year they blamed the Korean bbq restaurants in Chiang Mai and made them shut down. Or the year they blamed the Burmese for the smoke coming across the border. But they say "...asking farmers to perform field-clearing burns in rotation" and handing out 200000 face masks are extremely disappointing as these do not tackle the problem. Just means hundreds of thousands will be heading to hospitals as usual.

They almost had to identify the Agro-business involvement after the Bangkok Post ran an editorial three days ago claiming that 60% of the northern pollution problem was due to Agro-businesses burning their corn feed fields. Unsurprisingly, the Chamber of Commerce didn't say anything until after the editorial had been published.

[MaeJoMTB]

No crops being harvested this month in CM.

So no stubble burning.

Rice has about 4-6 weeks growing to do, corn another month.

Stubble burning happens after the harvest.

Why do people keep writing this rubbish?

Hang on,

This writer is the one that used fake 'haze' photos of CM highway a week back.

Note to OP, if you want to be a real journalist, don't fake your photos.

PS

Here is a real photo of CM fields and the mountains behind taken this week.

Note:

1. Fields are totally green, no stubble to burn.

2. Can't see the mountains because of the smog.

Edited March 24, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[MaeJoMTB]

No crops being harvested this month in CM.

So no stubble burning.

Rice has about 4-6 weeks growing to do, corn another month.

Stubble burning happens after the harvest.

Why do people keep writing this rubbish?

Hang on,

This writer is the one that used fake 'haze' photos of CM highway a week back.

Note to OP, if you want to be a real journalist, don't fake your photos.

PS

Here is a real photo of CM fields and the mountains behind taken this week.

Note:

1. Fields are totally green, no stubble to burn.

2. Can't see the mountains because of the smog.

Photo

[Puwa]

No crops being harvested this month in CM.

So no stubble burning.

Rice has about 4-6 weeks growing to do, corn another month.

Stubble burning happens after the harvest.

Why do people keep writing this rubbish?

Not burning stubble, but clearing new land for corn, which definitely happens in March, especially north of Chiang Mai. Investors grab land or simply encroach, use cheap Shan labor, sell to the likes of CP for animal feed etc, then move on. It degrades the land terribly and puts nothing into the local economy. Of course it's not the only kind of burning that goes on, but it's massive and fairly new, which explains why this degree of smog is a relatively recent phenomenon.

[Lobin]

But to be fair it is Burnese corn farms...

[oneday]

Thank goodness, at long last they have FINALLY figured out the cause!!!

[canuckamuck]

No crops being harvested this month in CM.

So no stubble burning.

Rice has about 4-6 weeks growing to do, corn another month.

Stubble burning happens after the harvest.

Why do people keep writing this rubbish?

Hang on,

This writer is the one that used fake 'haze' photos of CM highway a week back.

Note to OP, if you want to be a real journalist, don't fake your photos.

PS

Here is a real photo of CM fields and the mountains behind taken this week.

Note:

1. Fields are totally green, no stubble to burn.

2. Can't see the mountains because of the smog.

Mountain farm methods are different than flatland. And it is the mountain farms that create the smoke this time of year. This is the driest period of the year and weeds and jungle plants are mainly dormant. So this is the time of year they clear the land with fire. Also this is the time of year they clear new areas of land which have not been farmed for a while or were not previously farm land at all. Stubble is part of it, but they don't burn after the harvest, they burn before planting because at that time the field will burn. The corn from the mountains get taken off with some of the rainy season remaining and lots of weeds will sprout before planting.

Mountain farms generally have no crops at this time of year, because it is hot and dry.

[NeilSA1]

This writer is the one that used fake 'haze' photos of CM highway a week back.

Note to OP, if you want to be a real journalist, don't fake your photos.

PS

Here is a real photo of CM fields and the mountains behind taken this week.

Note:

1. Fields are totally green, no stubble to burn.

2. Can't see the mountains because of the smog.

Agree. (thanks for the genuine photo). I will in future take a pinch of salt when reading certain journalists articles, especially if photos are attached.

Time now for burning to be outlawed or restricted.

Those locals who have had health issues should band together and claim damages.

[Deez]

"Deputy Health Minister, has instructed the local health office to distribute 200,000 facemasks to residents who are affected by the haze"

LOL

[angiolo]

"Deputy Health Minister, has instructed the local health office to distribute 200,000 facemasks to residents who are affected by the haze"

LOL

But these masks are useless,dont remove the fine particles. Problem not fixed, Like putting a bucket with a hole under the roof drip. Ok this was not a Thai solution,but Greek,the principle is the same

[Jonmarleesco]

Still the government dithers.

[lamecn]

There are a number of biomass power plants in the province that have been shut down, due to high prices on biomass. It seems like some kind of coordination could benefit everybody

[attento]

No crops being harvested this month in CM.

So no stubble burning.

Rice has about 4-6 weeks growing to do, corn another month.

Stubble burning happens after the harvest.

Why do people keep writing this rubbish?

Hang on,

This writer is the one that used fake 'haze' photos of CM highway a week back.

Note to OP, if you want to be a real journalist, don't fake your photos.

PS

Here is a real photo of CM fields and the mountains behind taken this week.

Note:

1. Fields are totally green, no stubble to burn.

2. Can't see the mountains because of the smog.

Mountain farm methods are different than flatland. And it is the mountain farms that create the smoke this time of year. This is the driest period of the year and weeds and jungle plants are mainly dormant. So this is the time of year they clear the land with fire. Also this is the time of year they clear new areas of land which have not been farmed for a while or were not previously farm land at all. Stubble is part of it, but they don't burn after the harvest, they burn before planting because at that time the field will burn. The corn from the mountains get taken off with some of the rainy season remaining and lots of weeds will sprout before planting.

Mountain farms generally have no crops at this time of year, because it is hot and dry.

The OP photo doesn't look much like mountain farming.

[canuckamuck]

No crops being harvested this month in CM.

So no stubble burning.

Rice has about 4-6 weeks growing to do, corn another month.

Stubble burning happens after the harvest.

Why do people keep writing this rubbish?

Hang on,

This writer is the one that used fake 'haze' photos of CM highway a week back.

Note to OP, if you want to be a real journalist, don't fake your photos.

PS

Here is a real photo of CM fields and the mountains behind taken this week.

Note:

1. Fields are totally green, no stubble to burn.

2. Can't see the mountains because of the smog.

Mountain farm methods are different than flatland. And it is the mountain farms that create the smoke this time of year. This is the driest period of the year and weeds and jungle plants are mainly dormant. So this is the time of year they clear the land with fire. Also this is the time of year they clear new areas of land which have not been farmed for a while or were not previously farm land at all. Stubble is part of it, but they don't burn after the harvest, they burn before planting because at that time the field will burn. The corn from the mountains get taken off with some of the rainy season remaining and lots of weeds will sprout before planting.

Mountain farms generally have no crops at this time of year, because it is hot and dry.

The OP photo doesn't look much like mountain farming.

The Op photo was taken during a different season as well, so in this case the picture fails to tell its allotted thousand words.

Edited March 25, 2015 by canuckamuck

[khwaibah]

You can blame it on Myanmar as Thailand surly won't do this.

Edited March 25, 2015 by khwaibah

[worgeordie]

They are putting the blame solely on corn farms,which if these reporters

did any investigation before they start typing ,would know that the majority

of the smoke is coming from burning forest areas and hillsides.

Looking forward to the same next year, as NOTHING is going to change.

regards Worgeordie

Edited March 25, 2015 by worgeordie

[MaeJoMTB]

They are putting the blame solely on corn farms,which if these reporters

did any investigation before they start typing ,would know that the majority

of the smoke is coming from burning forest areas and hillsides.

Looking forward to the same next year, as NOTHING is going to change.

regards Worgeordie

Not to mention not much corn farming in the ping valley, nearly all rice paddy and a few flower farmers.

Bit of corn grown for personal use in the vally, more up on the mountainside in the hill tribe areas.

That photo looks like the USA to me.

[canuckamuck]

The haze covered the entire north of Thailand so it matters very little what is happening in the Ping valley.

Yes the smoke is from burning hillsides, burning to clear the area for corn.

[Mapguy]

Canuakamuck, You've got a handle on much of this, but there still are multiple causes of large-scale pollution. Lowland paddy burning in Northern and Central Thailand are still serious problems. Drive around and take a look! When we include regional effects of Myanmar we probably are experiencing burning on both the plains and in the mountains. The Myanmar government has announced that a quantum leap should be made in rice production to improve export earnings. One is left to wonder how this will play out, including the resulting impact on the worldwide price of this commodity and its impact on Thailand and its miserable finances after the debacle of the last political regime.

[Johpa]

They are putting the blame solely on corn farms,which if these reporters

did any investigation before they start typing ,would know that the majority

of the smoke is coming from burning forest areas and hillsides.

I have been noting here on ThaiVisa over the past few years that the major crop on the formerly forested hillsides is feed corn. I have been riding motorcycles up in the hills up north for 30 years now. I have seen the changes. And yes, there has been population growth. But the largest motivator for expanding cultivated land, and part of that motivation has been subsidies for supplies, is the expansion of feed corn cultivation. Today many of these roads that I could only ride on a knobby tired dual-sport motorcycle are now paved so go take a gander yourself.

[evenstevens]

They are putting the blame solely on corn farms,which if these reporters

did any investigation before they start typing ,would know that the majority

of the smoke is coming from burning forest areas and hillsides.

I have been noting here on ThaiVisa over the past few years that the major crop on the formerly forested hillsides is feed corn. I have been riding motorcycles up in the hills up north for 30 years now. I have seen the changes. And yes, there has been population growth. But the largest motivator for expanding cultivated land, and part of that motivation has been subsidies for supplies, is the expansion of feed corn cultivation. Today many of these roads that I could only ride on a knobby tired dual-sport motorcycle are now paved so go take a gander yourself.

over the years i have been off the beaten track,and have seen the goings on of the big burns in the north, corn farming is now largely responsible,for our sorry demise of the last 3 weeks

sure their other contributing factors, but again the corn farming is the main player, until they are put into place,with responsible back burning,and preparation it will surely continue

on a lighter note

what is a thais favourite pastime????

lighting up fires

[terminatorchiangmai]

The chamber revealed that it would be asking farmers to perform field-clearing burns in rotation, rather than all at one time. The chamber will also contact businesses that purchased corn for animal feed and ask them to take responsibility for the problem.

Yes !

Lets take turns to burn the fields that surely will help against the haze !

[canuckamuck]

The chamber revealed that it would be asking farmers to perform field-clearing burns in rotation, rather than all at one time. The chamber will also contact businesses that purchased corn for animal feed and ask them to take responsibility for the problem.

Yes !

Lets take turns to burn the fields that surely will help against the haze !

To be honest, because the government does not seem to have the unction to end slash and burn farming.

A compromise would be to have them burn in 3 day cycles. for example say they burn Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and then no burning on Thursday through Sunday. That gives 3 bad days sure, but it also gives a respite and a chance to breathe reasonable air on a weekly basis. Currently you can go 6 weeks without a clean breath, and you find your self dreaming about clean air, like a man lost in the desert dreaming of water. This can be done. Most farmers have very little land to burn (one or 2 fields) they can certainly pick one of the three good days to burn their land.

The additional benefit to the government is they can be seen to be doing something rather than nothing, and it is easier to crackdown on wrong day burning then it is to randomly pick scapegoats, when the entire mountain population is guilty.

As an aside, last week the forestry guys setup in the middle of our town in the back of a pickup, ready to go after burners. Not a single smoke plume could be seen all day. But the next day business as usual because they left.

[BB24]

I have on many occassions recommended to Thai 'bashers' that if they dont like the place, they should stop complaining and either accept and adapt, or think about leaving - life is too short. After putting up this year's ridiculous smoke levels on some days (and maybe not finished) and believing that this is not going to get any better anytime soon, my GF and I have decided to take my own advice. Later this year we will be looking are more 'acceptable' places for us to retire/live in Thailand - somewhere down south where there is very little (if any) 'smoke problem'. I like to play golf and that means I take long walks - especially when having one of 'those' days and am trying to find the ball all the time Unfortunately, that is not something I can do here without adversely affecting my health in the long run. I always wanted to be able to hit a golf ball 'out of sight' - besides early morning fog back home, I can also do it here some days in Mar/April I dont have the money for us to be able to stay here most of the year and move elsewhere in Feb-April like it seems many people do, so it looks like it is 'up sticks' and a move for me. Any recommendations?

[CNXBKKMAN]

Where is that picture from?

Surely not Thailand.

Jacob Maslow used a picture of the Thai Airforce last week in a piece about Thai airlines being banned from Korea. I suppose it's whatever google images throws up first.